Tamika Takes on D.C.

West End Library Branch Manager Maya Jones (left)
and summer intern, 2018 Parker High School graduate
Tamika Green standing outside the Library of Congress. 

BPL Teen Intern Reflects on PLA Inclusive Internship Initiative Kickoff Event in Washington, D.C.

By Tamika Green

This past week I had the opportunity to travel to Washington, D.C. for the Public Library Association Inclusive Internship Initiative Kick-Off. I was one of fifty interns from various libraries in thirty-five states who attended. It was my third time visiting D.C. and I was ecstatic to see the one monument that has become my favorite, “The Martin Luther King Jr. Monument”. It’s a personal favorite of mine because of my upbringing in Birmingham Alabama. Every day I see the cause he fought so hard for. I can go to Linn Park and the 16th Street Baptist Church and see the change that was created by him and the other leaders of the Civil Rights Movement.

After viewing the sites, we returned to our hotel for dinner where I was able to socialize with other interns and mentors. My roommate was Myra Meyers from Algona Public Library in Iowa. I learned about her life and it was totally different from mine. She lives in a small town where everyone knows each other, while I am accustomed to the hustle and bustle of a city. On the second day, we attended sessions that were mostly designed for the mentors and interns to improve their libraries. We then traveled to Georgetown University Bioethics Library were we saw a makerspace that could make just about anything. We saw 3D printer replicas of Egyptian pyramids, statues and even a banana.

On our final day we were able to visit both Library of Congress buildings. The James Madison Memorial Building, where we ate lunch and listened to a speaker, who gave me the idea of creating a Human Library for my connected learning project during my internship. In a Human Library, the people of the community are the “books”. Their backgrounds vary but they all have a common purpose of sharing their stories. It gives library patrons an opportunity to learn about their community and its diverse make up. This project will bring the library and the community closer together.

We also toured the Jefferson Building where many U.S. historical documents and art pieces are housed. After the tour, we had to leave early to catch our plane back to Birmingham. Overall, I enjoyed the trip and cannot wait to travel to Chicago, IL where I will present my connected learning project to my peers and the other mentors.